Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this important debate this morning. It is my clear understanding that there is agreement in principle among the party and group leaders that there will be a commission of investigation, particularly to investigate Project Eagle. What I am hearing from the Minister this morning, however, is something of a row-back from that. He has said that, in his view, there are not sufficient grounds for a commission of investigation at this time pending the completion of the report to the Committee of Public Accounts.

There was a meeting of the various party and group leaders on 3 October last. I understand there was an agreement to proceed with a commission of investigation to investigate Project Eagle. It is important that the Minister and Taoiseach clarify this morning whether this remains the case. It is, of course, true to say the Committee of Public Accounts has undertaken an enormous amount of work under the chairmanship of Deputy Sean Fleming. He and all the members of the committee are to be commended on their dedication and commitment in probing the Project Eagle issue. Deputy Sean Fleming will elaborate on the work the committee has done, which has involved 12 separate meetings. I and others who are not members of the committee have followed the proceedings as best we can while being at some remove. It is certainly clear that there have been discrepancies and conflicts in the evidence. It is now a matter for members of the committee to seek to reach agreement on a report, which I hope can be completed and published in the coming weeks.

The fundamental point I want to make is that there now seems to be some muddying of the waters as regards the Government's commitment to embark on a commission of investigation to examine Project Eagle, in particular. That simply has to be clarified before this debate concludes.

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